Bielik Wins First Round Match at U.S. Open
8/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Aug. 26, 2002
FLUSHING, N.Y. - Former Wake Forest women's tennis player Bea Bielik won her first round singles match at the U.S. Open Monday morning. The 21-year-old from Valley Stream, N.Y., made quick work of Renata Voracova from the Czech Republic, winning in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.
Bielik, who earned a wild card to the U.S. Open after winning the NCAA Singles Championship, won her first professional match over Voracova, who is ranked 148th in the world. Deciding Friday to skip her senior year at Wake Forest and turn professional, Bielik will face 27th-ranked Tamarine Tanasugarn from Thailand in the second round on Wednesday.
On her way to the NCAA title this past May, Bielik set an NCAA Championship record for fewest games lost (21). In November she won the Omni Hotels National Indoor title (which is the second of three national events during the season). A three-time All-American, Bielik finished the 2001-2002 season ranked No. 1 in the Omni Hotels national singles rankings with a 35-2 singles record - giving her 100 career singles victories. The winner of the Honda Award, given annually to the top collegiate women's tennis player, Bielik was also the recipient of the Mary Garber Award, given annually to the ACC Female Athlete of the Year. She was named the ACC Women's Tennis Player of the Year and received the Marge Crisp Award, given annually to the Wake Forest Female Athlete of the Year.
For more information, complete results and live scoring from the U.S. Open, visit usopen.org.